Anne Curtis has admitted that it took her a while to agree to the project 'It's Okay To Not Be Okay,' explaining that she hadn't been acting for a while.

'Ang tagal ko ng hindi umaarte. (I haven't acted in a while.) So there were a lot of jitters, especially on the first day. Grabe talaga yung kaba ko. (I was nervous),' Anne said during the media conference for the upcoming series 'It's Okay To Not Be Okay' held recently at the Seda Hotel in Quezon City.

The last time Anne appeared in a movie and television series was in 2019. Anne expressed pride in her recent TV project, the Philippine adaptation of a popular Korean drama that addresses mental health issues.

"It's time to have a series that educates us about mental health, or be with someone who is going through a mental health issue. This will help you through the journey. If you know someone who is going through it, you will be able to help," said Anne.

She also shared the differences between the original and the Filipino versions of the popular series.

'To those who have seen it, it's the same story. We have given it a Filipino taste. We have added new characters to make it our own. So that's something to look forward to.

'But to those who haven't seen it yet, this is a universal story that everyone can relate to. It's a healing story and a beautiful journey about love," Anne said.

Joshua Garcia said he could relate to his character in the series.

“Nakaka-relate ako sa kanya kasi parehas kaming mapagmahal na kapatid at nangungulila sa nanay. Pati ‘yung pagka-burned out ng character ko, naramdaman ko rin. (I can relate to him because we are both loving siblings and miss our mother. Even when my character was burned out, I felt it too)," Joshua said.

This early, fans raved about Carlo Aquino's acting in the series. Carlo, who plays the character of Matmat Gonzales, underwent immersions in special schools for persons with different levels of autism and several intensive workshops.

"Pinag-immerse nila ako for three days sa isang special school in Banawe. I was observing, and then I had a workshop. Takot akong gawin yung character. But during the sit-down, I opened up to them about what I had been through. It was then that I decided that I would enjoy this project," Carlo said.

Rio Locsin said even during rehearsals, Carlo would give his best. "Hindi madali ang totality ng character niya pero nagawa ni Carlo."

Anne, Joshua, and Carlo take viewers on an emotional journey of pain, love, and healing in the Philippine adaptation of the critically acclaimed Korean drama 'It’s Okay To Not Be Okay.' The series premieres on July 21 on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, and TV5, with advance streaming on Netflix (July 18) and iWant (July 19).

The story follows an emotionally guarded psychiatric ward caregiver, Patpat (Joshua), who has dedicated his life to caring for his older brother Matmat (Carlo), a person with autism. Their world changes when they cross paths with a successful yet troubled children’s book author, Mia (Anne), who is known for her cold and eccentric personality. As Mia, Patpat, and Matmat confront their painful childhood traumas and emotional scars, they embark on a journey of healing, self-acceptance, and love.

Reimagined through a uniquely Filipino lens, the series promises a deeply emotional narrative that explores trauma, healing, and the power of love in the face of psychological struggles.

“This is a universal story that everyone would be able to relate to. It’s a healing story and it’s a beautiful journey of love. And at the end of the day, every Filipino, whether it’s family or friends, will be able to relate to the story of healing, pain, and love,” said Anne, who plays the lead character Mia Hernandez.

Director Mae Cruz-Alviar also explained the show's approach to tackling mental health issues for Filipino audiences.

“Kailangan natin i-ayon sa pagtanggap ng audience sa ganitong talakayan tungkol sa mental health. Kasi hindi ganun kalaki ang awareness, so kailangan namin i-handle na ‘wag biglaan ‘yung audience, na ‘wag sila ma-overwhelm. (We need to adjust to the audience's acceptance of this discussion about mental health.) Because awareness is not that great, we need to handle it in a way that doesn't surprise the audience, that doesn't overwhelm them.) So there is careful handling in telling the story but also staying true to the core of the show,” she shared.

Completing the stellar cast are Rio Locsin, Bobot Mortiz, Michael De Mesa, Maricel Laxa, Agot Isidro, Enchong Dee, Kaori Oinuma, Bodjie Pascua, Ana Abad Santos, Sharmaine Suarez, Xyriel Manabat, Louise Abuel, Francis Magundayao, Alora Sasam, Alyssa Muhlach, Bianca De Vera, Aljon Mendoza, and Mark Oblea. “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” is led by directors Mae Cruz-Alviar and Raymond Ocampo, creative producer Henry Quitain, and Star Creatives business unit head Des M. De Guzman.

Catch the most-awaited Philippine adaptation of “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay,” starting July 21 on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, and TV5, weeknights at 8:45 PM. Watch it in advance on Netflix (July 18) and iWant (July 19).